Shipping case



March 4, 1941.

M. S. LOPES, JR

SHIPPING CASE Filed Oct. 14, 1938 fig- INVENTOR. MANUEL 5. LOPES, JR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 4, 1941 2,233,671 sinrrmo [CASE Manuel S. Lopes, Jr., Alameda, Califl, assignor of one-half to Glenn M. Harrington, San Francisco, Calif.

Application October 14, 1938, Serial No. 234,937

2 Claims.

My invention relates generally to boxes and in particular to a light-weight shipping case of rigid construction.

In the production of shipping cases, manufacturers are ever concerned with the demands of users for light-weight economical boxes of strong material which will not deform or come apart in use or when subjected to moisture, and which will consume minimum space yet afford maximum package volume. Corrugated board boxes have a wide use but are not entirely satisfactory because they break down when subjected to moisture and further are not rigid enough to withstand rough handling or the weight of stackage. Wooden shipping cases, on the other hand, stand up well under the weight of stackage and when subjected to moisture, but as heretofore constructed they are expensive and bulky.' As commonly constructed, such boxes are formed by nailing the top, bottom and sides to the ends. The ends, of necessity, therefore, must be of sufficient thickness to receive and hold the nails without splitting, although such thickness exceeds that normally required for necessary rigidity. If, on the other hand, thin end walls are used, it has been the practice to attach corner cleats thereto to provide sufiicient body for the nails. It is this requirement of thick end walls or cleats for nailing purposes that has added to the cost of the box as well as to its bulk and weight, and curtailed extensive use of an otherwise desirable article. In the box of my invention, howevenwhich I prefer to make of wood, I am able to obviate the use of thick ends or cleats and employ material of uniform thinness throughout by the provision of a novel means for securing the parts in assembled condition.

It is, therefore, an important object of my invention to provide a rigid box of thin wood material. I

Further objects of my invention are: To provide in a shipping case of light-weight construction improved means for securing the side and end walls in upright position; to provide a shipthat I do not limit myself to this disclosure of the species of my invention, as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a shipping case embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View of an abutting side and end wall, and illustrates the fastening structure for securing the walls in assembled position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the top and adjacent side or end Wall of one form of construction.

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating a variant form of construction in which a portion of the top is cut away to provide a shoulder against which the top edge of the walls abuts.

Figure 5 is a fractional elevational view looking toward an inner corner formed by a side and end wall.

For purposes of description, I have illustrated in the drawing a preferred form of construction embodying my invention which comprises a conventional-shaped shipping case or box having side walls 2-2 and end walls 33, forming a body portion which I provide with a top 4 and a bottom 6, all of which are of uniform thickness and preferably formed of a single thin ply of wood such as is commonly known to the trade as box shookk.

The bottom of the case is preferably of such width and length that the edge of the body walls rests upon the surface thereof with the outer surface of the walls flush with the periphery of the bottom. The top, on the other hand, is preferably of such size as to fit within the area confined by the walls as shown in Figure 3. In such form the top is adapted to rest upon the contents of the box. However, I may prefer to cut away a portion of the top, as shown in Figure 4, to provide a shoulder 1 against which the top edges of the body walls abut, thus obviously positioning the top with respect to the walls and preventing its movement downwardly within the case. The foregoing arrangement of the top and bottom with respect to the body walls tends materially in preventing weaving or distortion of the case and thereby increases its rigidity and stability.

Means is provided for maintaining the top against removal from the body of the case which preferably comprises: a plurality of strips 8 of bendable material preferably formed of metal such as strap steel or the like which are looped around the case to overlie the top with their respective ends clamped together in any well known manner such as by clamping pinsv9.

Means is provided for securing the side and end walls together and to the bottom which comprises a plurality of staples H preferably formed of wire of small diameter. As shown in the drawing, the staples are suitably spaced and bent to overlie the corners of the case. Each body staple, as illustrated in Figure 2, has its opposite end portions 12 projecting through the walls and bent or clinched inwardly upon the inner surface thereof. I prefer to clinch the end portions [2 of the staples in the manner shown in Figure 5 so that they lie at an angle to the inner corner line [3 formed by the abutting walls. Thus, if the box is made of wood, the portions l2 will lie across the grain thereof and the staples will have maximum holdings power.

I wish to particularly point out that the point at which each staple end projects through the respective wall is spaced a substantial distance from the edge of such wall thus minimizing the danger of splitting the wall or having the staple torn out when the case is in use. Furthermore, it will be observed that each staple end projects through a wall substantially at right angles to the surface thereof and this I have found advantageous in preventing splitting or tearing of the thin wood material of which the case is preferably made.

The staples l I connecting the walls to the bottom overlap the bottom corners in the same manner as pointed out with respect to the body corners, However, as illustrated in Figure l, I prefer that the adjacent body and bottom staples interlock as at M to add to the effectiveness of the fastening structure.

In practice I have found it practical to construct cases of substantial size in accordance with my invention wherein single ply wood stock of from /8 to 4 inch in thickness throughout is used. Such cases I have found possess maximum rigidity and freedom from distortion a well as the ability-to Withstand rough handling with a minimum of breakdown. They are light in weight, take up minimum space per content capacity, are substantially unaffected by moisture and can be handled without danger of the user snagging his hands and tearing his clothing on the fastening means which danger is ever present and constitutes a common hazard in the handling of wooden packing cases as heretofore constructed.

I claim:

1. In a shipping case formed of non-creasable material such as wood; a bottom wall; a body portion comprising a pair of side walls, and a pair of adjacent end walls abutting said bottom wall and positioned between the side walls, said walls each consisting of a single substantially rigid panel; staples arranged in spaced relation securing said walls together and constituting the sole securing means, said staples being bent to overlap the corners formed by said'body Walls and each of said staples having its opposite end portion projecting respectively through an adjacent Wall and clinched inwardly upon the surface thereof; andsimilar staples for securing said bottom to said body, said staples being bent to overlap the corner formed by said bottom and the walls of said body, and each of said staples having one end portion thereof projecting through said bottom and the other end portion projecting through a wall of said body, said staple end portions being clinched inwardly upon the surface of said body and said bottom respectively and parallel thereto.

2. In a shipping case formed of non-creasable material such as Wood; a bottom wall; a body portion comprising a pair of side walls, and a pair of adjacent end walls abutting said bottom wall and positioned between the side walls, said walls each consisting of a single substantially rigid panel; staples arranged in spaced relation securing said walls together and constituting the sole securing means, said staples being bent to overlap the corners formed by said body walls and each of said staples having its opposite end portion projecting respectively through an adjacent wall and clinched inwardly upon the sur-- face thereof; and similar staples for securing said bottom to said body, said staples being bent to overlap the corner formed by said bottom and the walls of said body, and each of said staples having one end portion thereof projecting through said bottom and the other end portion projecting through a wall of said body, said staple end portions being clinched inwardly upon the surface of said body and said bottom respectively and parallel thereto, and the staples in said bottom adjacent the corners of said body overlapping and contacting the adjacent staples securing the corners of said body.

MANUEL S. LOPES, JR. 

